Two-dimensional video to three-dimensional video conversion based on movement between video frames

Abstract

A method for converting two-dimensional video to three-dimensional video. The method includes the steps of comparing at least part of video frame x to a corresponding at least part of video frame y to determine movement therebetween, calculating a movement direction and movement extent based on the determined movement, determining viewing frame L and viewing frame R based on the movement direction, and modifying viewing frame R based on the movement direction and the movement extent to create modified viewing frame R′. One alternative embodiment is a video display device for converting two-dimensional video to three-dimensional video. Another alternative embodiment includes one or more device-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, configure a video display device to convert two-dimensional video to three-dimensional video.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method to convert two-dimensional video to three-dimensional video, the method comprising:
 calculating a movement direction and movement extent of movement between a part of a video frame x and a part of a video frame y; 
 determining a viewing frame L and viewing frame R based on the movement direction; and 
 modifying the viewing frame R based on the movement direction and the movement extent to create a modified viewing frame R′, wherein modifying the viewing frame R based on the movement direction includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, spacing of components in the modified viewing frame R′, wherein the components are arranged in an array to represent a picture in the modified viewing frame R′ and each component represents a part of the picture. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y to determine said movement. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises performing pseudo-pattern recognition. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises comparing a predetermined number of pixels of video frame x to a corresponding predetermined number of pixels of video frame y. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises comparing at least one pixel at an edge of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel at an edge of video frame y. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises comparing at least one pixel in a middle area of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel in a middle area of video frame y. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises comparing at least one pixel at each of two or more corners of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel at each of two or more corners of video frame y to determine said movement. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein comparing said part of video frame x to said part of video frame y comprises:
 (a) comparing at least one pixel at an edge of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel at an edge of video frame y; 
 (b) if no movement is found in (a), comparing at least one pixel in a middle area of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel in a middle area of video frame y; and 
 (c) if no movement is found in (a) and in (b), comparing at least one pixel at each of two or more corners of video frame x to a corresponding at least one pixel at each of two or more corners of video frame y. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining viewing frame L and viewing frame R based on said movement direction comprises:
 (a) if movement direction is rightward, setting video frame x to be viewing frame L and setting video frame y to be viewing frame R; and 
 (b) if movement direction is leftward, setting video frame x to be viewing frame R and setting video frame y to be viewing frame L. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying viewing frame L for viewing by a user's left eye and modified viewing frame R′ for viewing by a user's right eye. 
     
     
       11. A video display device comprising:
 a processing unit; and 
 a memory structure having video display device-executable instructions thereon that, when executed, direct the processing unit to:
 compare at least part of video frame x to a corresponding at least part of video frame y to determine movement therebetween; 
 calculate a movement direction and movement extent based on the determined movement, determine viewing frame L and viewing frame R based on the movement direction; and 
 modify viewing frame R based on the movement direction and the movement extent to create modified viewing frame R′, wherein modifying the viewing frame R based on the movement direction includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, spacing of components in the modified viewing frame R′, wherein the components are arranged in an array to represent a picture in the modified viewing frame R′ and each component represents a part of the picture. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the movement direction is a horizontal direction; and 
 increasing the spacing of the components includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, horizontal spacing between the components such that the modified viewing frame R′ has elongated stretched distortion as compared to the viewing frame R. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising increasing, with respect to the movement direction, vertical spacing between the components such that the modified viewing frame R′ has trapezoidal elongated stretched distortion as compared to the viewing frame R. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cropping edges of the modified viewing frame R′ that extend beyond an original frame size of the viewing frame R. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting an amount of spacing between the components in the modified viewing frame R′ based on the movement extent. 
     
     
       16. The video display device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the movement direction is a horizontal direction; and 
 increasing the spacing of the components includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, horizontal spacing between the components such that the modified viewing frame R′ has elongated stretched distortion as compared to the viewing frame R. 
 
     
     
       17. The video display device of  claim 16 , wherein increasing the spacing of the components further includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, vertical spacing between the components such that the modified viewing frame R′ has trapezoidal elongated stretched distortion as compared to the viewing frame R. 
     
     
       18. One or more non-transitory device-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause a system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 calculating a movement direction of movement between a part of a first video frame and a part of a second video frame; 
 determining a first viewing frame and a second viewing frame based on the movement direction; and 
 creating a third viewing frame based on the second viewing frame and the movement direction, wherein creating the third viewing frame based on the second viewing frame and the movement direction includes increasing, with respect to the movement direction, spacing of components in the third viewing frame as compared to spacing between corresponding components in the second viewing frame wherein the components are arranged in an array to represent a picture in the third viewing frame and each component represents a part of the picture. 
 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory device-readable media of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 calculating a movement extent of the movement between the part of the first video frame and the part of the second video frame; and 
 setting an amount of spacing between the components in the third viewing frame based on the movement extent.